Chapter 8 #2
Khloe wrinkled her nose. “I know I shouldn’t wish anyone dead, but he was awful.”
“I think I’ve heard you say that about me at one time or another,” Whip said, before thinking better of it.
Khloe chuckled. “Yeah, but you’re only awful sometimes, and in a completely different way. Besides, you like cats.”
Whip could only shake his head. As if liking cats somehow made him redeemable. He was an asshole. Everyone knew it.
“Is your car okay? Do you need a ride back to town?” Raiden asked Angel.
“She’s riding back with me,” Whip said firmly. “But if you or Khloe could drive her car to The Cellar, I’d appreciate it.”
“Of course. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks,” Whip said, giving Raiden a chin lift. He’d owe the man, which he wasn’t thrilled about, but since there was zero chance he was letting Angel out of his sight right now, he’d deal.
“No problem.”
“The rest of the girls have been blowing up my phone wanting to know what’s going on and if you’re okay. Would it be all right if I told them?” Khloe asked.
“Um…sure.”
“Good. You want to meet up soon at On the Rocks? Everyone would love to get to know you better.”
“You can come to The Cellar,” Whip told Khloe.
“No offense, but I’m not sure our husbands would be all right with us meeting there, because of the kind of people who tend to frequent the place,” Khloe said matter-of-factly.
Whip ground his teeth together. She was right.
The assholes who came to The Cellar weren’t exactly all law-abiding.
Since he didn’t even like having Angel in there most nights, there was zero chance the men of Eagle Point Search and Rescue would want their women in his establishment.
“I’ll open early. And I’ll block off a section of the bar so no one will bother you. ”
He could feel Angel looking at him, but Whip kept his focus on Khloe.
“That should work. Right, Raiden?” She turned toward her husband.
His eyes were narrowed as he stared down Whip.
Whip met his gaze and didn’t flinch. He wouldn’t apologize for how he ran his business. He made a shit-ton of money and wasn’t going to turn his pool hall into some yuppy hangout.
“I’m sure the guys would enjoy playing a round or two of pool while our wives chat,” Raiden said finally.
Whip approved. It wasn’t that he didn’t think women shouldn’t have time away from their men.
And he was pretty sure the men on Raiden’s team weren’t worried that their wives would cheat on them…
but The Cellar did have a not-so-stellar reputation, and he wouldn’t want Angel to hang out somewhere he hadn’t vetted first.
“I’ll make sure to save a table or two for you and your friends, as well.”
Raiden nodded.
“Yay! That’s settled. I’ll be in touch then,” Khloe told Angel. Then she hugged her again before stepping back. “Are the keys in the car?”
“Yeah.”
“Awesome. As soon as the fire trucks are moved so I can get by, I’ll take your car back to town. Oh, and I’m sure Brock wouldn’t mind taking a look at that bumper and seeing if he can fix it for you.”
“Appreciate it,” Whip said, done with the conversation. He was itching to get Angel home. To make sure she wasn’t hurt. He had a feeling she’d totally downplay her injuries if she was. “Later.”
He urged Angel to walk past Khloe and Raiden toward the bend in the road. He nodded at Simon, who was talking to one of the firefighters, and continued toward his truck, which he’d left half on and half off the road.
He opened his passenger door and lifted Angel inside. Then he stepped toward her, between her legs, and put one arm around her, his other hand grabbing her nape. They were eye-to-eye now, and Whip took a moment to study her, trying to gauge how she was holding up.
“I’m okay,” she told him. “Honestly.”
“You sure?”
Angel nodded. “I was scared, I won’t deny it.
But it’s over. Truly over, and the relief I feel is almost overwhelming.
I’ve lived on eggshells for so long, wondering what kind of mood he’d be in and trying to do everything right so he wouldn’t get mad and take out his anger on me.
And even after I left, I kept waiting for him to show up, to say something hateful, to act on all the threats he made about what would happen if I ever left him.
And now…all of that is over. I don’t ever have to worry about him again. ”
“Fucking right about that,” Whip muttered.
She smiled and leaned toward him, resting her forehead against his. “Take me home?”
Home. Fuck, that sounded amazing. Whip kissed her quickly, then stepped back. “Arms and legs in,” he ordered.
Angel smiled at him and nodded. Whip closed the door and jogged around the truck to the driver’s side. He climbed in and, without a word, started the engine and did a U-turn. As he drove to his house, he reached over and took Angel’s hand in his.
Her fingers clasped his tightly and the feel of her soft skin soothed him.
She was here. Safe. Warm. And he’d never been more thankful in all his life.
It would take some time before he was ready to let her out of his sight again, but he had a feeling she’d be okay with that.
She’d had a close call, and no matter how okay she seemed, she’d have some tough days ahead of her.
She was too sensitive not to feel guilty that the asshole she’d been married to was dead.
For now, he needed to get her home and revel in the fact that she was alive. Pamper her. Show her how much she meant to him. He was going to claim her, just as she’d done to him.
And for once, Whip wanted to be claimed. Wanted to belong to a woman. This woman.